fredsleds

The app is great to download onto your phone. The best $1.99 you'll spend. Each day you can plan your ride by when/where they've groomed. Also, when you turn your locations on it shows you where you are and you can set in waypoints, etc. Really don't need a separate GPS or even a map. Works even when you don't have a cell connection. Does burn up your phone battery though, bring a charger and charge it when you stop.

FMCQ website reports great conditions and all trails recently groomed. Check out this site, where they're grooming usually means good conditions.

I stayed an Manoir du Lac William. I can't think of a better place with your wife. GREAT hotel, nice trails, amazing outdoor spa. Most plans include dinner and breakfast (you don't have to, but, I'd recommend it). Or can drive like 20 minutes to Thetford Mines, many choices for sinner there by car. Only a few by sled. Also, they have enclosed, heated, locked storage (as does the Drakkar or at least it used to). From VT it would be way closer to than the Drakkar. Drakkar used to be the Safari, unless they did some amazing upgrades, I know that at least my wife would hate it. Main issue for that time of year South of QC is snow coverage. We did the Gaspe first week in March last year and the Chauderie region around Manoir du Lac William was done by than, this year who know?

Another great way (cheaper and easier in my opinion since everyone has a cellphone) is for $1.99 load the FCMQ map onto your phone. It is very accurate and it gives you grooming information. Great to have in the AM when planning your ride. Also can pick way points etc. Last year I mounted phone to sled using RA< mounts. Battery wouldn't charge while riding said "to cold to charge", but, charge lasted 4 hours, just took power adapter in when we stopped for lunch and plugged it in. My Galaxy 8 with rapid charging charges full in like 45 minutes. Also, you can than Bluetooth music to your helmet speakers if you have them (U-Clear work really great). Can also answer calls, but, I put it in airplane mode. Don't want to talk while riding. Fred

The Sidewinder and Apex are will know for this. Another option if you don't have a garage/hairdryer is to put one of those "hot packs" on the relays (very front on the Sidewinder). Best thing is, start it and go. If you start it, warm up, then shut it off, moisture will condense in the relay, freeze and your hosed. Poor design. I know you can get the red relays for the Apex. Does anyone know if you can get sealed fuel pump relays for the Sidewinder? Thanks, Fred

You'll like LSJ, great riding. We went 3 years ago and one morning it was-45 degrees F! Amazingly all the sleds started, it was a short day with lots of stops.

Heh mcstar, No worries. I guess each of our groups wasn't communicating with all the others. Maybe we'll meet up one day. Next year we're going to do the trip unguided with just people that we know. Fred

Our group did not pass them on the right, that's crazy. If a slow group intentionally won't let you pass, IMHO it just creates anger and frustration.

Thanks Shore1066, The ones doing hole shots were people that we doing the hole shots were people we never meet, we signed up for the tour and they put them with us. We respect the work of the groomers and the trails signs, never been off a trail on purpose (have been on an ATV trail or two by accident though). Have a good rest of the winter, we're hoping Stella brings us another opportunity to ride in PA. Fred

To mcstar: As always there are 2 sides to s story. This was out first day, after we saw the 2 riders (who we just met) doing the hole shots, we explained that this was not proper trail etiquette. To your other statement. We followed you for 10 MILES. You had FOUR chances at stop signs to let us pass you. Everyone is entitled to ride to their abilities. The "wannabe racers" are aged 46 to 61 each with 20+ years of experience. This is like the guy driving 55 in the left lane of 70 MPH highway, eventually people pass on the right because it seems that person thinks they "own the road". We ride faster than you, you all had mirrors, had FOUR chances to wave us on before we passed on a straight away. Then when the last 2 didn't get past you and we were in the parking lot of the Relais, you STILL wouldn't let them by (your FIFTH chance). At this point you had to know that we wanted to get by you. So finally after the SIXTH attempt to pass you let us get by. In our 6 days in the Gaspe your group of 4 was the ONLY group who intentionally didn't let us pass them. At least 10 other groups just waved us on. Why didn't you stop at a stop sign and wave us on? Your entitled to ride at whatever speed you want and so are we. Did it hurt your ego to let us go by? Finally, we got passed by young guys on fast sleds at least 10 times. The minute we saw them "on our asses" we waved them on. No big deal. Your stubbornness created the entire situation. You had SIX chances over 15 minutes to let us go by, I just can't understand why you did what you did. TQ5 is not your personal trail where you can dictate the speed to everyone else. As far as it being a family sport, of course it is. Every 2 up going 30 MPH lets the faster people go by. The 3 trailing sleds in your group clearly wanted us gone, it was your leader who saw us and decided that we should have to ride at YOUR speed, not what we wanted to ride. We were well within our capabilities, you were going way slower then the average and I bet you had multiple similar encounters with others unless you interaction with us made you change your behavior. Anyway, all can learn from this, if someone wants to pass, I say wave them on at the next stop sign and save everyone some aggravation. And to Shore1066, this was my 12th trip to Quebec since 1999, we HATE Tug Hill and would never ride their because of the bad behavior/alcohol consumption that goes on there. mcstar's group was the ones who need to be educated. Fred

Our Gapse Trip with Gary Pruit and Bon Voyage Sowmobile Tours 3/4 Arrive Hotel Universal RDL 3/5 RDL to Matane...trails bumpy, lots of unexpected 3 foot snow drifts but all an all not bad 3/6 Matane to Mont St Pierre, blue skies, best day on a sled in my 21 years of riding, amazing views 3/7 Mont St Pierre to Gaspe with detour to Perce Rock, again amazing day 3/8 Gaspe to Maria 216 miles in freezing rain/drizzle. Thank God for Klim gear to keep us dry 3/9 Maria to Amqui, despite going to bed in Maria with the trails slush/mashed potatoes woke up to groomed perfection, these groomers are amazing. 3/10 Amqui back to RDL cold and windy but very sunny and nice 1,121 miles in 6 days. Bob Voyage crew was great, nice pace of riding, every morning you packed your small bag, left it in room, gave you key to support truch driver who loaded you gear after you leave/ When you arrive, he gives you your room key and ytour bag is in the room waiting for you. No waiting to check in/out. Very professional and highly recommended operation Fred

Yes they have gas (may want to call first, because your going to be close to out when you get there from wherever your coming ) Place is amazing, beautiful, friendly owner, good English, super food (expensive) Trail off 83 is well marked and was perfect when I was there last year.

If they ran it down until it died of exhaustion, there may be blood from the lungs. This is like when humans get congestive heart failure and cough up blood. Don't know why there would he hair unless it was hit by a sled. If they did chase it down, maybe they'll be stupid enough to put GoPro video on the internet and they will be caught. Apt punishment would be to chase them on a trail till they dropped over.

I did some research and there is a company called UCLEAR. They have a great web site. They have Bluetooth amplifiers that can double as communicators. The really nice thing is for $49 extra, you can get a remote unit that wraps around you handle bar. The buttons on the remote are large and look like they will work with gloves on. When you stop, you just hit the button on the bar and the music shuts off. It look really sweet and got great reviews online. I'm going to buy one for our upcoming Gaspe trip and will let you all know what I think of it.

Callous peeling, WTF's...just beautiful!! Couldn't have explained it better..that's perfect! You guys have a blast. We're up to the Gaspe next week. Hope to find some of your stickers around there too. Fred

I have a HJC helmet. I put in regular, flat helmet speakers that are wired to my phone. Sounds good at idle/slow speed, but, can’t hear any music when cranking. Don’t get me wrong, I love the sweet sound my Apex makes, but, some tunes are nice from time to time. Does anyone know if someone makes noise canceling helmet speakers? I don’t just want to boost the volume of mine as I’d probably blow out an eardrum, but, if something would work like Bose speakers do on airplane, to cut down the sled noise and be able to hear the music that would be great. Bluetooth would be great also especially with an accessory on/off switch that you could put on the handle bars so when you stop you can shut them off when talking to riding buddies and then turn them on when you take off without opening your coat, etc. I would appreciate any advice or opinions on this. Fred

I agree that road crossings were not an issue. Later in the season when the snow on the side of the road melts though, you will go through carbides. Lots of Canadians had wheels on their sleds, makes it easy on long stretches of bare road and when getting gas etc. The wheels looked very sturdy and easy to operate.

Trailers/trucks are in a lock up at night, large gated area. They do have a garage for sleds, but, we were getting back late and it was usually full. We put them in the driveway of the cottage and pulled our truck in sideways to block them in. It seemed very safe, but, as we all know if they realty want them they'll find a way. The riding was good, sections of nice twisty trails through the woods, then large open areas of farmers fields. Very hilly areas mixed with flats. A couple of railroad beds/bike trails too for WOT. The riding was very varied so it wasn't just WOT all day. I've been to LSJ and it was definitely different riding, but, in a good way. Gas/food were not an issue if you planned your routes in advance. Also, the FCMQ mobile app was amazing. I mounted my Android in a waterproof case to the sled with an X mount by RAM mounts and it was super accurate, even had detours in it. At times ATV trails ran with the sled trails and the app made navigation super easy. For $3 it is very well worth the money, and in the morning if you lf you have WIFI you can see where they groomed. Phone battery would really burn fast so I would charge it whenever we stopped. It was near zero F and the phone kept working. I tried to charge it with a lighter adapter that my sled has, but, after a few minutes it would give a warning that it was too cold to charge the battery. It would last about 3 hours and everywhere we stopped was happy to charge it for me.

We had a great week here. Stayed in the cottage that can easily take 5 guys. Very clean, 2 baths, kitchen, laundry. 2 minute walk to the hotel. Hotel is amazing, great staff and food. Super deluxe hot tub, sauna area outside, they give you robes, towel. For 6 beakfast and 3 dines with the room it was 91 USD/day. The manager France Limire is fantastic. trails we really great, except Tuesday evening they had sleet, rail and snow, so Wednesday during an 8 hour ride we cam across 3 sleds all day. Had to break trail but tit was fun, by Thursday everything groomed to perfection again. Highly recommends this place and if you're wife or GF sleds, this is the place to stay.

We were going to Thetford Mines area 2/4 to 2/10. I think this is an agricultural area and might be effected. If the farmers union closes trails will it also effect the LSJ area? We can still change plans, any help would be appreciated. Have been to the Delta before and would be willing to do the extra driving. Fred

We are staying at Manoir du Lac William 2/4 to 2/10. Does anyone know if the trail closures will effect this region? Will try and make other plans if not. ANY help would be appreciated Fred

Thanks to all for your help! Fred

Is the any gas between these 2 areas, looks like about 150 miles? FCMQ map didn't show any stations, but, it looks like the trail crosses a highway. Thanks, Fred

Actionjack, Jack and Sandi, Thanks for the news about the app. I have been on the FMCQ site many times and never noticed it on the top of the page. It looks amazing. I have been using a Garmin with a chip for the trails, this is going to be so much easier. I have Ram mount for the GPS and will try to find a mount for my cell phone. PS. any news how the rain is effecting the Chauderie trails? Fred

Jack and Sandi, Where do you find a groomer map? Online? At the hotel? Thanks!